OCTOBER 2014

Documentary film from HFF Munich nominated for German Short Film Award
HFF students Narges Kalhor and Benedikt Schwarzer nominated for a German Short Film Award, for their documentary film SHOOT ME / Nomination in the category Documentary Films under 30 Minutes / German Short Film Award is the best-endowed short film award in Germany.
Munich, 16 October 2014 –  Narges Kalhor and Benedikt Schwarzer, students at the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich, are nominated for the German Short Film Award 2014, for their film SHOOT ME. The nomination alone, in the category Documentary Films under 30 Minutes, is endowed with €15,000. This sum could be upped to €30,000, in the case of a win on the evening of 20 November 2014 – when the Federal Minister for Kultur and Media, Monika Grütters, presents the coveted Film Awards in Gold for the best German short films. This year, the award gala takes place in Hamburg.

US TV hit producer Gale Anne Hurd and the makers of the Danish series BORGEN visit HFF Munich
Gale Anne Hurd, executive producer of the US series THE WALKING DEAD, meets with students of HFF Munich to discuss their work / Camilla Hammerich, producer, and Adam Price, showrunner of successful Danish TV series Borgen hold master class.
Munich, 17 October 2014 –  On 22 October, 2014, the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich will be dedicated entirely to the production of successful TV series in Europe and around the world. Professor Michael Gutmann, Vice President of HFF Munich and head of the Screenwriting Department: “At HFF Munich, series development is a key element of our curriculum and our students’ work. Our students’ energy impresses me. Writing series obviously keys into their audience behavior. Now we have the tremendous opportunity to welcome to HFF Munich, on the same day, the makers of the Danish series BORGEN, as well as, thanks to Fox International Channels Germany, Gale Anne Hurd, the producer of THE WALKING DEAD. The timing couldn’t be better.“


NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014

New editing professor at HFF Munich
Karina Ressler appointed new professor for editing at HFF Munich / From 1 December 2014, she will enhance training in the area of editing / The new chair is a joint professorship of the Feature Film and Television Feature, and Documentary Film and Television Journalism departments.
Munich, 27 November 2014 – The University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich has received approval for a new professorship for editing, under the Objective Agreement for 2014-2018 with the Bavarian Ministry for Education and Culture, Science and Art. Drawing on her extensive experience as an instructor, Karina Ressler also impressed the search committee with a well thought out concept for editing instruction at HFF Munich. In addition to the numerous practical course units – in her view, heart of all coaching work is the dialogue in the editing room – she constantly emphasized the necessity of a theoretical and, to a certain extent, even philosophical foundation, as a prerequisite for reflecting upon any film.

NO LULLABY/NIRGENDLAND by Helen Simon wins the Student competition at IDFA Amsterdam
NIRGENDLAND wins the competition for best student documentary at the IDFA Amsterdam / NIRGENDLAND is the graduation film of film director Helen Simon from HFF Munich / The film had its German premiere in 2014 at DOK.fest Munich, where it received the VIKTOR DOK.deutsch.
Munich, 30 November 2014 – After a successful turn at this year’s HotDocs in Canada, and its VIKTOR DOK.deutsch win at DOK.fest Munich, NIRGENDLAND has now won the IDFA Amsterdam award for best student documentary. NIRGENDLAND is Helen Simon’s graduation work in Documentary Film and Television Journalism at HFF Munich.

Two awards for films from HFF Munich: NADESHDA wins the German Human Rights Film Award and NOCEBO the Baden-Württemberg Film Award
On 6 December, announcement of ninth annual German Human Rights Film Award / NADESHDA shows life in one of the largest Romani ghettos in Bulgaria / NADESHDA is the work of HFF students Anna Frances Ewert and Falk Müller (direction), Pius Neumaier (cinematography) and Isabelle Bertolone (production) / NOCEBO wins at the Filmschau Baden-Württemberg / NOCEBO received this year’s Student Oscar in Gold / It is HFF student Lennart Ruff’s graduation film.
Munich, 8 December 2015 – Two awards go to films from HFF Munich: NADESHDA wins the German Human Rights Film Award in the Film School category, and NOCEBO the Baden-Württemberg Film Award in the Fictional Short category.


JANUARY 2015

Seven films from HFF Munich at the 36th Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival
Three films by HFF students selected for competition / Two films by HFF students in mid-length film competition / LICHTGESTALTEN by HFF alumnus in long-film competition / Graduation film MISSION CONTROL TEXAS in documentary film competition / 36. Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival vom 19 to 25 January 2015 / Films have prospects for several endowed awards.
Munich, 8 January 2015 – The 36th Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival (19 to 25 January) has selected seven films by students and alumni of the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich.
Three HFF films are running in the short-film competition for the Short Film Prize, including €5,000, sponsored by the Versorgungs- and Verkehrsgesellschaft Saarbrücken mbH (VVS). In addition, for the fourth time, Energie SaarLorLuxan has sponsored an audience short-film prize, worth €5,000.

Constantin Film AG CEO at HFF Munich
Lecture series at HFF Munich focuses on topic THE FUTURE OF MEDIA / Speakers: Martin Moszkowicz (Constantin Film) and Stefan Zilch (spotify)
14 January 2015 – The interdisciplinary lecture series THE FUTURE OF MEDIA is an interdisciplinary lecture series of the departments Production and Media Business and Media Studies of the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich. The discussions, featuring prominent media figures, focus on current developments in the business.

Bavarian Film Awards – Five Pierrots for HFF Munich alumni
Five Bavarian Film Awards for HFF Munich alumni / Winners in the categories Director, New Director, Producer, Cinematography and Animated Feature / Since 1979, the State of Bavaria has bestowed the Bavarian Film Awards for excellence in German film-making.
17 January 2015 – At yesterday’s 35th presentation of the Bavarian Film Award, five of the coveted honors went to alumni of the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich. Numerous HFF alumni contributed to other award-winning projects.

Grimme Award nomination for HFF student Anna Brass
Documentary film LEAVING GREECE – FLUCHTPUNKT GRIECHENLAND by HFF student Anna Brass / Nomination in the category Information & Culture Competition / LEAVING GREECE is a Bavarian Broadcasting production.
20 January 2015 – The documentary film LEAVING GREECE – FLUCHTPUNKT GRIECHENLAND by Anna Brass, a student of Documentary Film and Television Journalism at the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich, is nominated for a Grimme Award 2015, in the category Information & Culture Competition. The Grimme Award is one of the leading German awards for quality television productions. The Grimme Award honors programs and achievements that serve as exemplary models for German television programming practice.

Five perspectives – five films: HFF Munich at the Berlin International Film Festival 2015
Three (graduation) films by students from HFF Munich / Two films by HFF Munich alumni / 65th Berlin International Film Festival from 5 to 15 February 2015 / Films to run in the category Perspektive Deutsches Kino.
21 January 2015 – This year’s 65th International Film Festival Berlin is showing five films by students and alumni of the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich, in the section Perspektive Deutsches Kino. The films have a chance to win the independent jury award Dialogue en perspective. The head of the section since 2010 is Linda Söffker, who presented her selection for this year’s festival under the motto, “It’s Playtime“: “It’s going to be magical, energetic, sad, bloody, emotionally strenuous; also funny and, above all, playful – let’s play!“


FEBRUARY 2015

New VFX chair at HFF Munich
Coldewey appointed new professor for VFX (Visual Effects) and Animation at HFF Munich / From 1 March 2015 Coldewey will enhance instruction in this area / The founding partner of Trixter, one of the leading German animation and visual effects companies, combines theory and praxis / New professorship associated with the HFF Technology Department.
Munich, 9 February 2015 – The University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich has a new professorship for VFX (Visual Effects) and Animation. On 1 March 2015, Michael Coldewey, founder of the Munich production company Trixter, will take charge as professor for this area. With Trixter, Coldewey worked on such national and international film projects as HEXE LILLI, CAPTAIN AMERICA and AVENGERS, and has received numerous awards. “When I instruct students, my main objective is to help them overcome their ‘shyness’ toward VFX, to rouse an enthusiasm for the opportunities that VFX offer for exploring new paths – both in HFF students’ current projects and in their future endeavors,” says Michael Coldewey.

German Film Critics Association Award for best feature debut goes to HFF alumnus Anna Martinetz
German Film Critics Association Award in the category Best Feature Debut for HFF alumnus Anna Martinetz / Further honors for films by HFF alumni Dominik Graf and Philip Gröning / German Film Critics Association Awards presented solely by critics / Award ceremony part of Berlin Critics Week.
09 February 2015 – Anna Martinetz was honored in Berlin today for FRÄULEIN ELSE, receiving the German Film Critics Association Award in the category Best Feature Debut. Anna Martinetz is an alumnus of the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich. Two other films by HFF alumni won the German Film Critics Association Award in different categories: DIE GELIEBTEN SCHWESTERN by Dominik Graf, and DIE FRAU DES POLIZISTEN by Philip Gröning.

HFF students win independent Dialogue en perspective jury award at the Berlin International Film Festival
Short film EIN IDEALER ORT by HFF students wins independent jury award Dialogue en perspective / Award presented by young international jury to films from the Perspektive Deutsches Kino section of the Berlin International Film Festival / Dialogue en perspective initiated by French-German Youth Office / Endowed with €5,000.
Munich / Berlin, 14 February 2015 – At the award ceremony of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival, the €5,000 Dialogue en perspective award went to the short film EIN IDEALER ORT by HFF students Anatol Schuster (direction), Julian Krubasik (cinematography), Isabelle Bertolone and Benedikt Weber (both production). Upon the initiative of the French-German Youth Office, the award is presented by a young, independent French-German jury to a film from the Perspektive German Kino section of the Berlin International Film Festival, as the result of an intercultural cinematic discourse. This year’s president of the Dialogue en perspective jury was actress Marie Bäumer.


MARCH 2015

HFF students on writing team for Web series
Two students and an alumnus of HFF Munich join writing team for Kai Wiesinger’s Web series DER LACK IST AB / Young writers were recruited from an HFF class by head writer Tac Romey / DER LACK IST AB is being developed in collaboration with Phantomfilm GmbH and MyVideo.
20 March 2015 – New Web series DER LACK IST AB, by and starring Kai Wiesinger, is strengthening its writing team with young talent from the Screenplay Department (headed by Professor Michael Gutmann & Doron Wisotzky) of the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich. Madeleine Fricke, Sebastian Stojetz (both students) and Frederick Schofield (December 2014 graduate) were recruited for the team by the head writer of the series, Tac Romey, who has given various series courses at HFF Munich, including a sitcom seminar.


APRIL 2015

13 April at HFF Munich: Stefan Aust, in the lecture series Politics & Media
In his lecture series Politics & Media, presented by the Television Journalism department of the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich, Professor Dr. Claus Richter regularly discusses basic political and social topics of current and historical interest with renowned journalists and media writers. His guest on 13 April is Stefan Aust, for many years editor-in-chief of the news magazine SPIEGEL and current publisher of WELT.
The focus of Claus Richter’s exchange with Stefan Aust will include the future of classical media in the digital era, and new developments and technical possibilities in investigative journalism.


MAY 2015

Nominations for the German Film Award 2015:
Six films by HFF alumni among 23 HFF nominations on Lola slate
Announcing nominations for the German Film Award 2015 / Seven films involving HFF alumni as directors, producers, screenwriters, or cinematographers garner 23 nominations in 15 categories / Presentation of German Film Award on 19 June 2015 in Berlin.
07 May 2015 – The nominations for the German Film Award 2015 include seven films with alumni from the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich among the directing, producing, screenwriting and cinematography credits. The films garnered 23 nominations in a total of 15 categories. The nominations, selected in secret ballot by the members of the German Film Academy, for the German Film Award 2015 were announced today at the Berlin Kinemathek by the Federal Minister of Culture and Media, Prof.  Monika Grütters, Iris Berben and Christiane Paul.

HFF alumnus wins FFF best new documentary award at DOK.fest Munich 2015
FFF Best New Documentary award for HFF alumnus Ralf Bücheler / His film MISSION CONTROL TEXAS screened in the category New Films from Bavaria / Award is endowed with €5.000 and goes to new Bavarian directors.
Munich, 17 May 2015 – At the Thirtieth International Documentary Film Festival Munich, Ralf Bücheler, alumnus of the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich was honored with the Documentary Talent Award of the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern. The award honors films from any festival category by new Bavarian directors and is endowed with €5,000.


JUNE 2015

HFF Munich with three student productions at the Munich International Film Festival 2015
Three films by students from HFF Munich screening at the Munich International Film Festival (25 June to 4 July) / Plus numerous productions by HFF alumni in program / HFF Munich’s fourth stint as Munich International Film Festival venue.
Munich, 8 June 2015 – At the 33rd Munich International Film Festival, the red carpet is being rolled out from 25 June to 4 July 2015 for film and TV highlights from around the globe, including three productions by students and numerous alumni of the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich. Moreover, for the fourth year, HFF Munich is honored to serve as one of the festival venues.


JULY 2015

Bigger, sharper, greener: HFF Munich’s second annual open-air cinema showcase
HFF students to present their current fiction and documentary films, as well as TV reports & advertising clips, on three evenings from 9:30 p.m. / HFF holds its second annual student showcase in open-air screenings in the HFF Munich inner courtyard, at Bernd-Eichinger-Platz 1 / Open-Air Cinema made possible by well-known sponsors: zweiB GmbH, SKY Deutschland AG, Romance TV , ARRI, Bavaria Film GmbH, Goldkind Filmproduktion, Pensionskasse Rundfunk, Südstern Filmproduktion, TV60, and Wiedemann & Berg Film and Television
From Friday, 17 July; to Sunday, 19 July, the University for Television and Film (HFF) Munich is hosting its Showcase 2015, again in the Open-Air Cinema in the inner courtyard of the Munich film school at Bernd-Eichinger-Platz 1. On all three evenings, from 9:30 p.m. (doors open at 8:30 p.m.), current student productions will be screened: fictional and documentary shorts, TV reports, and advertising clips. Building on the huge audience response last year, the second HFF Annual Showcase as Open Air Cinema will be bigger, sharper and greener: Bigger screen, sharper image and bigger lawn for an even larger audience.